Location: Olathe, Kansas

Johnson County Community College is a two-year community college that was constructed in 1971. Over the years, HMN Architects has designed facilities for arts, technology, science, music, hospitality management, computer labs, administrative, general classrooms, dining, student services on continual basis since 1978. During this time, the campus has experienced tremendous growth from a student population of 5,500 to more than 22,000.

Arts and Technology Building (ATB)

This 61,500 SF educational facility was programmed to house facilities for instruction in fine arts, vocational technology and general classroom work. Specialty programs include drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, auto technology, metals and welding, construction and energy technology.

The building is organized along an interior pedestrian “street” and incorporates courtyards to allow light into the interior spaces. Classrooms are located at an intermediate level and act as a buffer between the two main activities.

Athletic Locker Rooms

The gym locker room renovation project’s goal was to upgrade the facility and give it a more modern look and feel. This space will be utilized by the men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, tennis, track and field, golf, softball, and baseball teams. The 5,500 SF multi-purpose space is in the lower level of the gymnasium.

A main feature of the new locker rooms is the addition of four player lounges and two study areas. These ancillary spaces are used for reviewing game film, recruiting, group study, and team building activities. This space is also intended to highlight player photos and current season records.

Updated wood lockers have been incorporated along with the school logo prominently displayed on the locker room floor, emphasizing school identity. The restroom facilities were updated to include individual showers, improved accessibility, and upgraded finishes, ultimately completing the modernization of this essential space. The improvement of the gym locker rooms helps the players at this community college build pride and identity for the school they represent.

Billington Library (LIB)

To help revitalize the existing library, HMN was commissioned to create a master plan. The goal was to improve circulation, security, and functionality of the space. Phase one of the master plan consisted of a new circulation desk, group study rooms and improvements to the electronic infrastructure.

The circulation desk was relocated from the second floor to the first-floor lobby space. The three-story lobby (previously a student gathering area) obscured the Library entrance and had significant acoustical issues. By relocating the desk, a new entrance was created, and space was freed for additional student study activities. The desk is capped with a custom designed overhead, acrylic panel system that brings the ceiling plane down to a more “human” scale and serves as a reflective surface for the indirect lighting. The new desk wraps around the existing concrete stair tower, providing a unified lobby carefully balancing the scale of elements. Additionally, second floor study rooms were built in the vacated circulation desk area, and a new wall divider system was added to give students’ electronic access for their personal devices. The completion of the first phase of this project improves the existing Library functions, adds new facilities and upgrades to its infrastructure and also creates an identifiable “main entrance” to the Library.

Gymnasium (GYM)

The physical education addition project was a two-story, 64,000 SF addition to the existing GYM building, which included a 43,000 SF indoor athletic practice facility, a 5,000 SF fitness room, dance studio, administrative offices, locker rooms, restrooms, and the renovation of a portion of the existing gymnasium. Unique qualities of this facility include a 200-meter indoor running track, an indoor pole vaulting area, a long jump pit, six basketball courts and a caged golf driving range.

The main challenges of the addition were the tight surroundings in which the facility was to be placed rather than a separate facility located away from or duplicating existing spaces and saving existing parking spaces. HMN was able to create an extraordinary athletic facility within the space restraints through thoughtful planning and design.

Industrial Training Center (ITC)

The industrial training center is a product of an innovative and cooperative effort from Johnson County Community College, the City of Overland Park, and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. The facility is planned around an axis, which responds to the strong diagonal circulation of the main campus, providing an alternative, weather protected, internal corridor for pedestrians, as well as clear separation between the college’s and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad’s facilities. HMN provided JCCC with additions and interior remodels to the industrial training center, designed to accommodate their changing needs.

Patient Simulation Lab

The 1,500 SF Simulation Center has the look, feel, and equipment of four general medical surgery rooms and a large suite that can function as an operating room, labor/delivery room, emergency room or a multi-bed recovery room. Each room has infusion pumps, vital sign monitors, real lines for gases, human waste disposal systems, sinks, power columns, as well as communication lines for calling hospital codes to give students “real world” experience. The Simulation Center has eight simulation bays: five adult, one pediatric, and two birthing simulators with newborns. The college also has the capability to record and monitor students with sophisticated patient simulators.

Student Activities Center and Student Media Center

The design was intended to combine the use of circles and bright colors to differentiate the student activity spaces from the rest of the campus. The renovation included rooms used for student club meetings, group study, student media offices and recreation areas.

The redesign gave campus organizations better visibility, no longer hidden from view with its entrance located off a column. Previously, this corner was unused and served as a deterrent to locating the office entry. From the entrance to the student lodge, a wall of circles was constructed to pull students down the hall toward the lounge. These custom circle elements serve as a landmark and help tie the design to the function. The goal at the onset was to design spaces with a clear distinction from the main campus décor. These areas have become a popular location for many students and organizations. The goals were recognized and the benefits are still outstanding to the students and faculty.

Located on an intermediary floor of the commons building, the Student Media Center is a unique and inspiring space. Central desks allow for group discussion and collaboration. While pulling away from the windows overlooking the dining area below. Unique solutions for lighting and HVAC were incorporated into the central desks creating a clear, efficient space.

Science Building (SCI)

The two-story science building expansion combines the growing dental hygiene and emergency medical service programs. The first floor features an emergency medical services training area complete with classrooms, offices, maintenance and storage areas as well as a fully-functional ambulance simulation lab where students can practice moving patients in a realistic environment. The second floor of the building is used by the dental hygiene program. The new labs have space for 16 patient stations, equipment, locker rooms, an ADA-compliant darkroom for students and space to perform and learn about administrative duties.

Here is a snap shot of our work through the past several decades:

1970’s

Arts and Technology Building (ATB)

• Art Studio
• Sculpture Laboratory
• Foundry
• Photo Laboratory
• Automotive Technology
• Small Engine
• Heating and Air Conditioning Technology
• Construction Technology
• General Classrooms

1980’s

1990’s

2000’s

2010’s